by
Lauren Ryan
In Melbourne, people have been sending heartfelt "love letters" to the city's trees, thanking them for their shade, beauty, and contributions to the environment. I’ve just sent my love letter to worms . . .
Each of Melbourne's 70,000 trees has a unique email address, part of an initiative originally designed for reporting tree health issues. Instead, the public has embraced it as a way to express affection and gratitude. This interactive project has fostered a deeper connection between the community and the urban forest, encouraging environmental awareness and emotional connection during challenging times like lockdowns.
Inspired by this, we have launched a similar initiative for Coolseats!
Let's send "love letters" to the worms inside these sustainable garden beds.
These hardworking worms turn food waste into compost, nourishing plants and reducing CO₂ emissions. Just like Melbourne's trees, worms in Coolseats deserve our appreciation for their vital role in sustainability.
• Here I am taking a photo of the QR code so I can email the worms in the coolseat outside 58 Myrtle Street, Chippendale - go the worms!
• QR code is on metal plate at one end of a coolseat - lots of information about composting, how to compost, how to use a coolseat
How to participate:
Find the QR code on a Coolseat.
Scan it with your smartphone.
Click on the first link titled "Write a love letter to worms."
Let’s show some love to these tiny but mighty heroes of sustainability! 🪱💚
For Example, here's the love letter I wrote the worms in the Myrtle Street, Chippendale coolseat:
“Dear Sustainable House Worms,
I want to take a moment to thank you for the incredible work you do. Throughout my internship, I’ve learned so much from you about nature's quiet miracles. You take what others see as waste and transform it into rich, nourishing soil—an essential step in creating a circular food economy.
Your tireless efforts break down food scraps and turn them into compost, a natural fertilizer that brings life to the plants we rely on for nourishment. You show us that nothing truly goes to waste; everything has value when seen through the right lens.
Thank you for reminding me of the beauty of renewal and the interconnectedness of life. Because of you, I see food and sustainability in a whole new way.
With gratitude and admiration,
Lauren 🌱♻️“
Lauren Ryan, intern with Sustainable House